2001 release. (halb) schwarz is the first CD to collect a wide range of Rolf Julius' diverse compositions from several years. The Berlin-based sound, installation, action, and sound artist began experimenting with various forms of contemporary music in the 1970s. (halb) schwarz deals with the world of "small sounds," a term coined by John Cage to designate sounds so subtle that they are usually barely discernible. From the standpoint of a 100% pure Central European aesthetic it's all about weeds, rubbish, noise, hisses, crackles, whines, drones -- all sounds that would be eliminated by tradition-conscious sound engineers, at great technical expenditure.